Why the HRM and Employee Performance Relationship is Non-Linear: The Role of HR Intensity

Strategic human resource management (HRM) scholars argue that HR intensity, that is, the degree to which employees are exposed to HR practices, has a linear and positive relationship with employee performance. However, the reasons if, how, and why high- versus low-level exposure to HR practices influences employee outcomes in different ways is not yet fully understood. To address this research need, we apply conservation of resources theory and the job demands–resources model for testing a proposed non-linear relationship between HR practices, perceived supervisor support and task performance. Results from our multi-source data collected among employees and their supervisors show a U-shaped relationship between HR intensity and employee outcomes. Specifically, we find that HR practices relate positively with task performance when employees are exposed more to HR practices, but relate negatively with performance when employees have limited exposure to HR practices. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.